Paramus DPW Welcomes Future with New Collection System

To ring in the New Year, the Paramus Department of Public Works will be instituting a new automated system of garbage collection which is projected to help make the borough cleaner and more efficient.

Each homeowner will receive a 96-gallon wheeled cart to be used in place of their current garbage cans. Delivery of the cans, which will each be labeled with an address and serial number, are expected to take place over the next few months.

"The borough is embarking on a new program for the collection of solid waste," Mayor Richard LaBarbiera said in a press release. "The program is signifcantly more cost effective and will provide a cleaner, more attractive community."

With the new 96-gallon cart, residents will roll their individual carts to the curb on collection day, making sure it is at least four feet from any nearby trees or fire hydrants and 10 feet from a vehicle parked on the street,

A special collection vehicle will deposit the cart's waste into a refuse compaction compartment utilizing a robotic arm and return the cart back to street level. The new collection vehicle will result in less noise during collection and provide a higher level of efficiency as the automated system allows one operator to collect 30 percent more garbage than the traditional three-person manually operated vehicle.

"As our borough moves forward, we hope to make our services more user friendly and efficient," LaBarbiera added. "Not only will this system help beautify our town, it will help enhance our quality of life and promote Paramus as one of America's greatest places to live."

Each 96-gallon cart will be provided free of charge to every homeowner and can hold as much household waste as three regular garbage cans. Assisted and rear-door collection will be made available to residents who provide a doctor's statement signifying that the resident is unable to move the cart on their own.

Additional carts can be purchased from the borough for a one-time fee by contacting the DPW at 201-265-2100 ext. 658 or 3xt. 659. Each wheeled cart must be placed three-feet from another.

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